Salty's Best Chocolate Cake Ever

My husband Danny had this dessert when we went to Salty's Seafood Grills in Alki Beach, Seattle, Washington. Amazing!

BEST CHOCOLATE CAKE EVER!

By Pastry Chef Jane Gibson

The Cake Makes 3 8-inch cake rounds. 2 cups flour 1 cup cocoa powder (we use Cacao Barry - see www.cacao-barry.com) 2½ teaspoons baking soda 1½ cups canola oil 2 cups sugar 3 eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla 2 cups buttermilk

Chocolate Cream Filling 1 cup milk 1 cup heavy cream 5 egg yolks 1/3 cup extra fine sugar 2½ cups (14 ounces) bittersweet chocolate - Cacao Barry 70% bittersweet pistoles or buttons, see www.cacao-barry.com (you may also chop it from a block)

Preparing the Filling: In the morning or a day ahead, prepare the filling so it has time to set up.

In small saucepan combine milk and cream and bring to a boil. Turn off heat.

In a separate bowl, beat eggs and sugar together until smooth. Add a small ladle of hot cream to the egg mixture to temper; beat to incorporate. Add another ladle and repeat.

Add tempered egg mixture to cream. Turn the heat back on but do not bring to a boil. You want about 170 degrees (212 degrees is boiling). Remove from heat, mix in chocolate and whisk until blended and shiny. Cover with plastic wrap so the chocolate does not form a skin and store at room temperature.

Preparing the Cake: Prepare three 8-inch round cake pans. Spray with vegetable spray and line with a parchment paper round on the bottom. Set aside.

In a medium bowl combine flour, cocoa powder and baking soda to a bowl; stir to blend.

In a large bowl combine oil and sugar. Whisk to blend. Add eggs and whisk; add vanilla and whisk. Add one-third of dry mixture and blend in with a spatula. Add another one-third of the dry mixture and blend in. Add a little of the buttermilk to thin out the batter, blend, then add the remaining dry mix and incorporate. Add the remaining buttermilk and mix in.

Divide batter equally be­tween the three pans. Tap pans on the counter to knock out any air bubbles. Bake at 350 degrees in the middle to lower half of your oven for 20 minutes or until toothpick placed in middle of cake comes out clean.

Cool cakes and remove from pans. Cut each layer of cake in half horizontally (you'll have 6 layers now). A turntable cake stand is invaluable here. Spread bottom layer generously with filling, starting in the center and pushing it out to the edge. Repeat with all layers. Then frost the top with filling, then sides.

The frosting doesn't need to be perfect. Cover the frosting on the top and sides with shaved milk chocolate for a professional look. Use a spatula or bowl scraper to shave the chocolate (milk chocolate is best as it's softer). Garnish the cake with fresh berries, a mint sprig and chocolate curls.

You can bake the cake in a sheet pan and cut in circles to form the three individual serving version we use at Salty’s restaurant.

Salty's White Chocolate Mousse Cake

I had this when I went to the restaurant with my parents and my husband and it was AMAZING!! Here's the recipe:

• 3 CUPS CAKE FLOUR, plus extra for dusting cake pans
• 1 TABLESPOON BAKING POWDER
• 1/2 TEASPOON KOSHER SALT
• 1 CUP UNSALTED BUTTER, room temperature, cut into 8 pieces
• 2 CUPS GRANULATED SUGAR
• 1 TEASPOON PURE VANILLA EXTRACT
• 1 CUP WHOLE MILK
• 8 LARGE EGG WHITES, room temperature
  (for safety reasons, don’t leave eggs out at room temperature; instead, briefly run them under warm water before separating)
• 1 PINCH CREAM OF TARTAR
• 3 TABLESPOONS RED CURRANT JELLY, whisked until it reaches spreading consistency
• WHITE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE (SEE RECIPE BELOW)
• 1 POUND GOOD-QUALITY WHITE CHOCOLATE,
  room temperature, shaved into curls using a vegetable peeler (blocks or large chunks are easier to peel)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease three 9-inch round cake pans. Line the bottoms with waxed or parchment paper and grease the paper. Dust the bottom and sides of the pans with flour, tapping out any excess, and set aside.

2. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar with an electric mixer at low speed until coarsely blended, then increase the speed to medium and beat until light and creamy. Add the vanilla, then add the flour mixture alternating with the milk. Beat until well combined.

4. In a separate bowl, using clean beaters, beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar at medium-high speed until they hold soft peaks.

5. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold one-third of the egg whites into the cake batter until well blended, using a cutting motion through the middle of the batter and turning the bowl as you work. Gently fold the remaining whites into the batter until just combined. Do not over mix or the cake will be tough and heavy.

6. Scrape the batter evenly into the prepared pans and bake in the center of the oven 25~30 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

7. Cool the layers in the pans on wire racks for 20 minutes, then turn them out onto the racks to cool completely. Once cooled, remove the waxed paper. With a serrated knife, cut off the top brown part on each cake layer, making sure the layers are flat and even. Remove any crumbs that stick to the cake.

8. To assemble the cake, place one cake layer on a cake plate. Using a clean pastry brush, glaze it with a thin layer of red currant jelly, covering the top only (not the sides). Working quickly, because the mousse softens the longer it remains at room temperature, cover the jelly with one-third of the mousse (avoiding the sides), then repeat with the next layer, omitting the jelly.

9. Ice the cake with the remaining mousse, covering both top and sides. Press the white chocolate shavings into the mousse until the entire cake is evenly covered.

10. Refrigerate the cake for at least an hour before serving to allow the mousse to set. Alternatively, freeze the frosted cake (minus the white chocolate shavings) and allow it to thaw in the refrigerator before adding the shavings.

WHITE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

• 12 OUNCES WHITE CHOCOLATE, coarsely chopped
• 4 CUPS WHIPPING CREAM, chilled

  1. Melt the white chocolate in a double boiler or a stainless-steel or glass bowl placed over a saucepan filled with simmering (not boiling) water. Remove the pan from the heat when the chocolate is almost melted, then stir until it melts completely. Be careful not to get any water in the chocolate, or it could seize (clump and harden). Cool to room temperature.

  2. With an electric mixer set at medium-high to high speed, whip the cream in a large mixing bowl until stiff peaks form. Working quickly, gently fold the melted chocolate into the cream and use immediately to frost the cake.

     COOK'S NOTES: White chocolate comes in several forms. For the best flavor and texture, buy a product that lists cocoa butter among the ingredients and avoid those labeled "artificial chocolate" or "chocolate-flavored." Above all, do not use white chocolate chips. If necessary, substitute sweetened coconut or white sprinkles for the white chocolate shavings. To measure the flour in this recipe, spoon it into the measuring cup, then level it off with a straight edge (such as the back of a knife). For even more precise measurements, weigh the flour on a kitchen scale. Three cups should weigh 12 ounces.

Pasta Pie

So, I made this months ago but time got away from me so I haven't had a chance to post it yet. I really like this recipe. Tastes great and is very fun to look at. :) I found this online and just had to try it. I highly recommend it! Also, I added a few things here and there but I didn't write them down. I think it was basil and maybe some italian seasoning and a pinch of sugar. Whatever I did it made things really tasty. :)

Pasta Pie

1 pound rigatoni

2 Tbs olive oil, divided

1 pound ground beef

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper (I used the not-freshly-ground kind, haha)

1 (28 oz) can good quality crushed tomatoes

butter, for pan

salt

1 cup finely grated parmesan cheese

8 oz coarsely grated mozzarella

In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta until slightly underdone (you'll be baking everything later so it'll finish cooking). One pound of pasta should be cookin in 6 quarts of water, make sure you are using a big enough pot so the pasta doesn't stick together (I add a little olive oil and salt to the water when I cook pasta; oil so things don't stick, salt for extra flavor). When done, rinse in cold water and draing again. Toss pasta with 1 Tbs olive oil to coat (I think this is too much but do as you see fit). Set aside.

Heat remaining olive oil (1 Tbs) in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef. Cook, stirring occasionally until browned. Add garlic, 1 tsp salt and pepper. Cood 2 minutes more.

Add crushed tomatoes; simmer until thickened, about 20 minutes.

Toss pasta with Parmesan cheese. Buter a 9-inch springform pan. Tightly pack pasta into pan, standing each piece on end. Spread meat sauce on top of pasta.

Push the meat sauce into the pasta holes filling each one up. This may take longer than expected.

Place in a 400 degree oven for 15 minutes. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top and bake another 10-15 minutes until cheese is golden. Remove from oven and let stand 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edge to loosen and then unmold.

Cut into wedges and serve with any remaining meat sauce you might have. (We had quite a bit extra because we got tired of stuffing it in holes. Haha)

Spaghetti Pie

This is one of my favorite pasta dishes! My mom passed down the recipe to me about 8 years ago and I can't get enough of it! Ü

INGREDIENTS

• 6 ounces spaghetti
• 2 1/2 quarts boiling water
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 cup cottage cheese
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 pound lean ground beef (optional)
  
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes
• 6 ounces tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook spaghetti in water with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 tablespoon oil until tender but still firm. Drain. Add eggs, Parmesan cheese, and butter. Mix and shape into a crust in greased 10-inch pie plate.
2. Spread cottage cheese over crust. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
3. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Scramble-fry beef, onion, and green pepper until beef is thoroughly browned. Mix in tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and garlic powder. Spread mixture over cottage cheese. (If you'd like, you can substitute spaghetti sauce for the onion, green pepper, tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, oregano, salt, and garlic powder)
   
4. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes.
5. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and bake 5-10 minutes more.

Cinnamon Chip Cookies

Oh. My. Goodness. So a few months ago I had a craving. A big craving. It took a while to figure out what it was but then I realized what it was: Cinnamon Chip Cookies. When my mom's friend Darlene first moved into our ward she made us some of these cookies. She even gave us the extra dough to freeze and I remembering taking big chunks of the frozen dough and munching on that. Mmmmmmm. SO good. I didn't have the recipe so I contacted Darlene and she was gracious enough to look for it and give it to me. I made them last night because I couldn't hold off the craving any more and I can now say I am satisfied. Sam even likes them and he's not as into cinnamon as I am. :)




Cinnamon Chip Cookies
Makes approximately 5 dozen

1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
3 cups oatmeal
1 cup cinnamon chips (I think Hershey's is the only brand of cinnamon chips out there. They're by the chocolate chips in the store)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Mix sugar and softened butter. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until creamy. Combine flour, spice, salt and soda in separate bowl. Add to creamed mixture. Add oatmeal and cinnamon chips. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden.

Italian Dressing

I found this on a recipe site when I was looking for a dressing for a chicken marinade. Make this and then add 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of garlic salt and a little bit of lemon juice for some yummy chicken marinade!

Italian Dressing Mix

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)

* 1 tablespoon garlic salt
* 1 tablespoon onion powder
* 1 tablespoon white sugar
* 2 tablespoons dried oregano
* 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
* 1 teaspoon dried basil
* 1 tablespoon dried parsley
* 1/4 teaspoon celery salt
* 2 tablespoons salt


DIRECTIONS

1. In a small bowl, mix together the garlic salt, onion powder, sugar, oregano, pepper, thyme, basil, parsley, celery salt and regular salt. Store in a tightly sealed container.
2. To prepare dressing, whisk together 1/4 white vinegar, 2/3 cup canola oil, 2 tablespoons water and 2 tablespoons of the dry mix.

Tallarin Saltados

Ok, my husband and I LOVE Peruvian food. Its pretty much amazing. He got into it on his mission and I was introduced to it the summer he and I met. We have a favorite Peruvian restaurant in SLC that we try to go to every time we're up there. This is a classic dish that we have almost perfected. I highly recommend it. Its pronounced tie-yah-reen sahl-ta-dos. If that makes any sense. Haha. We have tweaked the recipe to our liking. We only make about half the marinade and use low-sodium soy sauce when available. This is the recipe we use and I've added my changes. We got a new set of chopsticks for V-Day and decided to try them out with this dish. Mmmmm.

Tallarin Saltados

1 lb cooked spaghetti or linguine (we use chinese noodles from the grocery store)

1 lb beef tenderloin, sliced thinly against the grain (you can used chicken too)

1 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup white wine vinegar

1 large red onion, cut into wedges

3-4 roma tomatoes, cut in wedges, seeds removed

crushed red pepper flakes, to taste

salt & pepper to taste

2 Tbs chopped cilantro

Mix the soy sauce and vinegar. Marinate meat in half the soy/vinegar mixture for at least 30 minutes. Add 2 Tbs oil to a heated pan or wok. Saute marinated meat on high. Drizzle in the remaining soy mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Add onions, red pepper flakes and tomatoes. Saute briefly (only about 1 minute). Add cooked noodles and toss. Serve topped with cilantro.